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A  message  from 
Conf  Pam  #304 

DTTDflitDb7B 


A  Message  from  the  Army  of  the  Vallej  of  Virginia. 


At  a  nwetiiirr  of  \\x('.  liiirty -sixth  and  sixtieth  regimeiUs  and  forty- 
lifth  batrahon  Virginia  iiitaiitrj,  Smith's  brigade,  Wharton's  division, 
the  tolloxving  preamble  and  resolutions  were  unanimously  adopted  : 

Whereas,  the  arms  of  the  Confederate  States,  during  the  recent 
iiampaigns,  have  sustained  serious  reverses,  which  have  caused  an 
undue  despondency  in  some  portions  of  our  country,  and  created  an 
unpatriotic  doubt  as  to  the  final  result  of  our  strugj^le,  and  inducegl 
Komc  to  entertain  the  treasonable  thought  of  makini^  terms,  unworthy 
of  iVccmcn,  with  the  enemy  that  seeks  to  destroy  them  :  Therefore, 
^ve,  the  ollicers  and  soldiers  of  the  thirty-sixth  and  sixtieth  regiments 
and  Ibrty-fifth  battalii>n  Virginia  infantry,  do  resolve 

I.  That  in  the  beginning  of  this  revolution  we  volunteered  in 
response  to  the  first  call  of  our  country  to  battle  for  the  sovereign 
righr.  of  self-government,  and  that,  after  four  years  of  terrible  war  with 
the  savage  foe  who  seeks  our  subjection,  we  are  still  firm  in  our  deter- 
minatioi)  to  achieve  our  independence  or  to  perish  nobly  struggling 
foV  it. 

II.  That-  in  the  cause  of  our  country  is  involved  all  we  hold  dear; 
that  it  has  been  consecrated  by  the  blood  of  those  heroes  who  have 
fallen  in  its  defence  and  the  blessings  of  Almighty  God,  manifested 
on  man}'  ..Kicasions,  and  that  we  once  more  renew  «)ur  vows  to  adhere 
to  it  through  weal  or  woe. 

in.  That  whilst  we  will  hail  with  joy  that  peace  which  brings  to  us 
the  recognition' of  our  independence  and  assigns  us  our  proper  place  in 
the  family  of  nations,  we  cast  from  us  with  scorn  the  arrogant  and 
insolent  propositions  recently  made  to  our  Commissioners  by  Abraham 
Lincoln,  as  representative  of  the  people  of  "t-he  United  States,  and 
respectful l}'  urge  our  Government  to  apply  every  resource  cf  the 
country  to  the  vigorous  and  untiring  prosecution  of  the  wm  .i.s  the 
only  means  of  obtaining  an  honorable  peace. 

IV.  That  we  send  this  declaration  greeting  to  our  friends  :i*  home, 
within  our  lines  and  on  the  border  of  Western  Virginia,  and  b;d  them 
be  of  good  cheer  and  "never  despair  of  the  Republic." 

V.  That  copies  of  these  resolutions  be  sent  to  our  Representjitives 
in  the  General  Assembly  of  Virginia  and  in  the  Congress  of  the  Con- 
ederate  States,  and  also  to  the  newspapers  in  Richmond  with  the  re- 
quest that  they  be  published. 

Camp  of  Smith's  Brigade,  Feb.  10,  1865. 


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